Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-04-02
WHO is He?
A Thief and Murderer
Named Kissane,
WHO HAS ACQUIRED WEALTH
on the Fat of the Land
After a ScOundrelly
Career.
WHO is HE ?
WHO HAS ACQUIRED WEALTH

| A'Ahs VII CHO I0V vi UuC AduS
After a Scoundrelly
I Career.
Associated Psess Dispatches to the HERALD
NEW YORK, April Recorder Smif /
in the general sessions TO- day, heard the
argument on the motion by counsel fol
j. b. Hart, of San Francisco, TO have q
nole prosequi entered on the indictmen,
for forgery on file in the District Attor
ney's Office against William Kissane,
now wealthy and influential citizen oi
San Francisco. under an assumed name.
The indictment was for the forgery of q
check for $4,000 in 1874, against the
Chemical Bank of this city. Counsellor
Jones appeared for the bank and op.
posed the motion. He said Kissane had
not made any restitution to the bank for
the money thus obtained in q criminal
manner, although it appeared that he
was well.to-do lawyer. Jones sub.
mitted an affidavit made by the cashier
of the bank, which set forth that the
bank had suffered loss of $26, 050 by
Kissane's forgery. District Attorney
MARITIME was present and favored
dismissing the indictment, considering
the length of time that had elapsed and
that Kissane had reformed and was lead
ing an honest life. Everything consid.
cred, he was not disposed to press the
case for trial at this late day. Recorder
Smith was not so willing to dismiss the
matter. He said there was no evidence
that lawyer Hart was acting with Kis-
sane's consent and intimated that he
would require assurance on this point
before taking action. A telegram from
the principal in the case would not be
sufficient. The parties then left the
court.
SAN Francisco, April 1.-The case of
William Kissane, which is surrounded
with so much mystery and which was
heard to day in New York before Re-
corder Smith. has attracted immense at
tention in California. This is due to
the fact that Kissane is said and is
now known to be one of the prominent
and wealthy citizens of California
and connected by marriage with
many leading families Of this
city. Many attempts have been
made by the press Of San Francisco to
get at the actual facts in the case, and
to unearth the identity of this mysterious
individual. The immediate notoriety OF
the case is due to a motion made by
counsel for J. B. Hart, of this city, to
have o nolle prosequi entered on the in
dictment for the forgery on file in the
District Attorneys Office against this
man William KissAne. The indict-
ment was for forgery of check
for $4,000 in 1854, on the Chemical
Bank of New York. A prominent gen.
tleman of this city tonight, who knows
Kissanc well, and who knew him in the
east, and who has been also severe
sufferer by KissanC, gave to the Asso.
ciated Press reporter tonight q full
story of Kissane's career, suppressing
only the name which he is now known
by in California. 1t may be said here
that Kissane is one of the most promi-
nent and wealthy residents of Sonoma
county, California; that his half
brother is prominent attorney in
this city, and that his connections by
marriage are all leading society people.
The statement of this gentleman is as fol.
lows: 1t is believed that the statements
made through Jesse B. Hart in New
York, telegraphed here, have revealed
the identity of Kissane and may proba-
bly, lead to the complete disclosure of
his criminal practices in the past. 1t is
well known to certain parties that Kls-
sane has been guilty of felony since his
arrival in California. He is unre-
pentant and seeks only the re-
moval of legal disabilities and
penalties for h,s past crimes. He
is still under indictment for forgery in
New York city and for murder in Ar
kansas, resulting from great loss of life
by the burning of the steamer Martha
Washington boand from Cincinnati to
New Orleans, near Helena, Ark, on the
night of January IA, 1852. He was
between his indictment in January,
1853, together with some Others
placed on trial for conspiracy and
detrauding the insurance companies
by claiming fictitious cargoes said to be
burned on the steamer Martha Wash.
ipgtop, He was convicted on three &C.
ca sions in Cincinnati on these charges,
but each time managed to evade the
law, After this he was arrested for
murder and taken to Helena, Ark, but,
owing to lack of county funds and the
neglect of Congress to provide an appro-
priation for his prosecution he again
escaped the clutches of the law. A
request was made by Hon. James
Guthrie for au appropriation,
but it could not be procured.
Kissane in the meantime jumped
his bail and the next heard of him were
his forgeries on the Chemical Bank of
New York in August, 1854, for which
he was arrested, convicted and sentenced
to Sing Sir g prison. Among his effects
which were found, at the time of his
arrest, were some notes of five hundred
dollar denominations on the Chemical
Bank of New York. He was brought
to New York handcuffed and locked to
the waist of an officer. The key of the
handouts was lodged safely in the
pocket of the Chemical Bank teller, who
still lives, to probably assist in the last
chapter of Kissane's criminal career.
While in Sing Sing he offered
to make full confession of the Mar.
tha Washington steamboat conspir-
acy and to confirm the same on the wit
ness stand, so as to assist the insurance
companies in resisting fraudulent suits
brought against them for fictitious
charges. The authorities concluded that
his testimony would be available and
useful for that purpose. as he might
not voluntarily give testimony il
he served his full time. For
this reason he was liberated
and thereafter made full confession OF
the Martha Washington steamer con-
spiracy, the burning of the boat and the
efforts used to secure the insurance.
The confession occupied about one hun
drad napea of foolscap. His gang. one